Home Institution
Pitzer College
Publication Date
Fall 2019
Abstract
Xishuangbanna is home to one of the most biologically and culturally diverse regions in China. Dai medicine from the Dai people has been recognized by China as one of the four major ethnic minority medicines. With over 2,500 years of practice, Dai medicine utilizes the herbs found in the diverse region mixed with principles and theories from Buddhism. There have been over 500 unique herbs used in Dai medicine, each with different properties and functions. As Xishuangbanna continues to develop as a city and expand its rubber and banana plantations, it has large impacts on the environment, living standard, education, and culture, overall, changing traditional Dai medicine and herbal collection. The records and experiences living in different Dai villages learning about herbalism are focused in this paper, documenting the traditional knowledge as well as noting the changing methods, limitations and lack thereof, and impacts development of the region has on Dai herbal medicine.
Disciplines
Alternative and Complementary Medicine | Asian Studies | Botany | Chinese Studies | Environmental Indicators and Impact Assessment | Environmental Studies | History of Science, Technology, and Medicine | Human Ecology | Medicine and Health | Social and Cultural Anthropology
Recommended Citation
Tsai, Jasper, "Ethnobotany and Dai Medicine: Herbal Roots" (2019). Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection. 3205.
https://digitalcollections.sit.edu/isp_collection/3205
Included in
Alternative and Complementary Medicine Commons, Asian Studies Commons, Botany Commons, Chinese Studies Commons, Environmental Indicators and Impact Assessment Commons, Environmental Studies Commons, History of Science, Technology, and Medicine Commons, Human Ecology Commons, Medicine and Health Commons, Social and Cultural Anthropology Commons
Program Name
Anthropology, Botany, Environmental Studies, History, Ecology, Traditional Healing